#i think yami falling for yugis best friend while yugi falls for yamis rival is very fun

[romanceddawn]

this is dm rivalshipping to me

[lafeae]

Prompt: Bleeding Out for @jenicorn84

Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh!

Characters: Seto Kaiba, Yami Yugi

For @badthingshappenbingo

Read on AO3

Shadows danced between the snow flakes, and they had been all night.

The hairs on the back of Kaiba’s neck stood up, and he pivoted at the sound of snow crunching behind him. His rapier whistled from his hip through the air, narrowly missing the blurry shadow that passed by.

Not a shadow. Not a man, either.

Staying grounded on this mission was the only way to keep a level head. The bitter whip of the wind was maddening enough without a vampire dancing around him, using the trees as a hiding place.

He bunched his coat closer to his chin and slipped his hand beneath the lapel, gripping a heated cloth that had quickly lost its warmth. He would make it through this frigid winter, but Yami wouldn’t. The gangly, red-eyed creature had made a mock of him for the last time.

The wind settled. Kaiba’s hand fell to his side, and he raised the rapier while he took the winding path towards a ramshackle cottage, almost torn sideways by the fierce north wind. Up until several years ago, it was a trader’s outpost. There were still remnants of display posts out from where the furs would hang for sale, though now various woodland creatures hung by their tails or legs, gutted and bleed dry—rations for a hungry vampire.

Kaiba had come back to this shack again and again. It was, at best, a rendezvous point for the little coven of vampires who were somewhere in Domino Valley. It wasn’t a nest, but he had clues. Blood. Clothes. Tracks. Archaic symbols on painted on the wall with a finger; his finger, no doubt, though he had no idea what they said. They were so old that he found little knowledge of them in his ancient tomes.

It was the perfect place for a set-up. There was very little time, though.

Kaiba sprinted towards the shack, kicking himself to the side as a snow bank flew towards him, a long skid of tracks giving him an idea of which way the vampire was heading. He jumped over a fire pit and dug his feet into ground, turning sharply, just in time to hear talons clang against the broadside of his rapier.

“Show yourself, you coward!” The wind ate his voice.

He slashed through the snow flakes, drawing up his guard as a spitter of snow skidded in front of him. He saw a flash of red, a glitter of gold, before he was slammed through the front gate of the shack. His back ached, and his skin cried as the wet snow seeped through the wool. No time.

Kaiba rolled out of the way of a sharp attack and grounded the tip of his sword to block another. Sparks flew from the blade. He back-stepped, parried, and thrust forward fast enough to cut through clothe.

“Say any last words now. I’ve figured out your patterns, your speed. You’re done for, Yami.”

A flurry of attacks were quickly countered, and he used the soft movement of shadows, snow, and flakes to catch the edges of the colourful vampire. He stood out against white snow, though Kaiba had rarely caught his slender face or petite build. A centuries old creature, tiny as the persons of old. He was a teen when he turned, Kaiba deduced, though only just.

The air went quiet.

Kaiba kept the rapier up as he backed towards the shack, his opposite hand pulling back his coattail and caressing the handle of the Queen Anne pistol. There was one shot in it, with another reload on his waist, but if he missed the first shot—

“Nngh!”

Something sharp dug into his shoulder and pushed him forward. He stumbled to the side, holding the sword out before he crashed. Warm blood seeped out of a wound just below his collar. No.

The rapier was lifted in time to block, though a second strike hit his leg above the knee. The fingers tore into him like hot irons, searing his flesh and blinding him.

No. No. No.

Blood poured from each wound like his veins were filled with steamed water, warming his chest and thigh, than the hot blood of a man throbbing with fear. This was terrible. Exciting, but terrible. Something had been severed, and he knew it wouldn’t be staved off by his hand at his neck.

Scrambling to the door, Kaiba burst into the small cottage, overturning a small table as he dragged himself towards the fireplace. Gentle embers floated from it, inviting him to sit on the rug and have a chat over tea.

Blood had seeped through his long johns and filled his boot, squashing between his toes. It hadn’t taken long for him to go bleary eyed. The long arteries in his neck and leg, were severed. Else he wouldn’t have a glove so slick with blood.

His wavering grip painted the mantel with blood as he steadied himself.

“Am I appetising to you yet?” Kaiba asked.

The rapier fell from his hand, and he turned to thaw his back on the fire. This was where he died. At the hands of a rival, a nemesis, a face he only saw in his dreams with luscious lips and long lashes. All these creatures were teases. Stronger men had been felled by their charm, the evil sirens.

“I’ll take you with me,” Kaiba whispered.

His hand fell from his neck, arm heavy. The room was spinning. Yami’s lithe form sauntered towards him. In the glow of the fire, his skin was sun-kissed. Almost a Moor, but not quite. An ancient vampire who grew up on the banks of the Euphrates or the Nile. This cold didn’t suit him, and it only brought up more questions than it answered.

A step forward. Blood spattered on the floor, weakly squirting from the wound in his knee. One hand had the pistol, the other had an orb of holy water, though the whole glass had turned red. Was it so holy anymore, with his blood dripping through the cork? He ripped it off with his teeth, tonguing the copper soaked into pores, the rim, before splashing a line in front of him.

Yami walked through it.

The backs of his legs should have been burning from the fire, but they were ice cold. He had no more blood in him than the gutted rabbit or muskrat outside.

“I will take you with me, Yami.”

The vampire smiled. “You think so?”

“I know so. And I know you.” The red-eyes gleamed, softening as Kaiba’s knees buckled beneath him. “You’re ruthless.”

“I am not.”

“You’ve made others suffer.”

“I have not.”

Yami bent over inches from Kaiba’s face. “You play games with your prey. I have news for you—I like games!”

The water orb was shattered on the ground in lieu of grabbing a dagger from his side. Plunge it into the shoulder of the vampire, blast him with the pistol.

Kaiba’s wrist was caught. Too slow, he assumed. His vision was fading to nothing, and his breath was so heavy he was about to swallow his tongue. The touch was gentle, dragging his arm down and squeezing just right against his bone to make the dagger clatter on the floor.

“Sleep,” Yami commanded.

“...never.”

“A spiteful hunter.” Yami chuckled and let Kaiba’s wrist go. The blood now trickled, all of it puddled beneath him. “You smell very sweet for such a bitter man. Tell me your name, hunter. These games have been fun.”

“Kaiba. Seto Kaiba.”

Plump lips upturned. “Sleep, Kaiba.”

Every fibre of Kaiba’s being protested the command. No vampire would charm him into submission. But the blood loss made his head frothy, and the fireplace had warmed him to sleep.

—

Yami’s hands rested on the sides of Kaiba’s face once he slipped unconsciousness. The blood was so sweet smelling, but he had to resist. There was fresh rabbit waiting for him below.

Carefully, he hoisted Kaiba up and walked him into the cellar of the shack. The stone stairs led into deep, damp catacombs crawling with all manner of spindly creatures that skittered as he walked through.

Kaiba’s heart was faint in his chest. His breath was shallow.

“You’ve brought a friend,” a light voice called when he reached an inner chamber.

“I have.”

“Your hunter friend?” From the corner, Yami saw the silver-haired man leaning casually, a goblet of wine clutched in his between his fingers. He gently. “He’s bleeding all over the nice carpets.”

“He’s dying.”

“Oh ho! You finally followed my advice, dearheart. Hit him where it hurts.” Yami sighed and laid Kaiba on a table in the centre of the room. More gentle tutting. “We eat there, you know.”

Yami shredded through Kaiba’s bloodstained clothes, opening the layers of coats and shallow leather armour on his chest. His entire side was dyed red. “Help me, Pegasus.”

“I don’t think so.”

“You made me do this.”

“You were so into him!” Pegasus trilled. “Tell me, did you get his name?”

Yami pressed his fingers into the wound on Kaiba’s neck. “Seto Kaiba.”

Pegasus gulped down the rest of the wine. He stood, meandering around the room and reaching a small chest, digging through it. “Mm. Gozaburo’s ward. He did seem to have quite a good play style. He’s very even with you...”

“Yes.”

“You seem smitten,” Pegasus said. Yami scoffed. “Ah, ah, ah, I know love when I see it. The question is, does this Kaiba-boy love you back?”

“He’s a hunter.”

Pegasus shrugged. He brought surgery tools over, holding them hostage. “You don’t plan on turning him though, do you?” Yami was silent, feeling the threaded heartbeat in the brunet’s neck. “What is it that you like so much about him? It can’t possibly be his obsessiveness...ah, but maybe it is. He follows you like a lost little dog.”

“I get no peace.”

“You mourn when he rests.”

Yami frowned. “Give me the sutures.”

The box was set down. “Why not simply turn him, hmmm? He will be with us then. You can have him as a little pet to call your own. You haven’t had one of those since, mm, you spoke of a priest once. How strange, the types you fall in with. Those that will be the death of you.”

“That was years before.”

“But it’s true. First a priest, now a hunter.”

They were quick to work on Kaiba’s wounds, sewing the gross, purple marks and binding them in hopes they wouldn’t bleed. Yami kept his chest exposed, his fingers dancing over the sinews of Kaiba’s chest and ribs. Every feature was the same as his old love; his loyal, challenging priest. The brown hair, the deep blue eyes, the sharp jaw. All but his skin, not formed under Ra’s benevolent light. But this was a treacherous and cold place.

“Tell me, dearheart,” Pegasus said softly. He leaned on the side of the table as an entranced Yami caressed Kaiba’s skin. “Do you really wish to sin with this man? He won’t have you once he wakes up. It will be more battles and scars. If you want him, take him. You have been granted that gift.”

“He’d never forgive me.”

“He’d have plenty of time to consider it,” Pegasus said flippantly. Blood began seeping through the bindings, and Yami scowled. “You may not have a choice. Either you turn him, or he dies on you again.”

“This is your fault.”

Bubbly laughter escaped Pegasus. “Perhaps. But...I’m so sick of seeing you sad. Go on, dearheart. Change him.”

As Yami leaned down, Kaiba’s eyes opened. Clear and blue and deep, both knowing and aware despite his state. It took all of Yami’s will not to break as he took Kaiba’s hand and squeezed, his teeth brushing the blood-soaked skin on Kaiba’s neck and murmured, “I’m sorry, Set...Seto. May your God forgive me.”

[ayma-nidiot]

In the White Light - Prideshipping fanfic Chapter 22

Also on AO3.

Author’s note: I know this is a weird time to mention this, but did I happen to mention the strong, frequent Fire Emblem influences throughout this fic yet? :3 For instance, the “ancient Egyptian” is just the backwards Japanese lyrics to FE songs that have lyrics.

Fire Emblem Fates is said to be the worst game in the series, but I quite like it. This fanfic might as well be considered a Yu-Gi-Oh/Fire Emblem Fates crossover. Overall, I love Yu-Gi-Oh to death, but Fire Emblem has been part of my life for over 17 years and will always be my number one fandom. I highly recommend the "newer" Fire Emblem games (Fates, Awakening, Echoes, and Three Houses).

Chapter 22 – Dawn Breaks

Yami Yugi waited for Mana and Kisara’s departure before saying anything. “Kaiba…”

“…Pharaoh.” At first, Kaiba didn’t mind the old rival’s tension that lingered in the air. But that feeling lasted only a few seconds before the KaibaCorp president approached Yami Yugi and hugged him.

“K-Kaiba… My love?”

At that moment, Kaiba dropped his tough demeanour, not giving two shits at the “Dweeb Patrol” that saw this side of him. “You know, ever since I started that duel with Bakura, I’ve realized something. I love you. I’ll never find another man like you, one who can match my skills and fulfill my every wish. If I can’t have you because we live in different times… If I have to go back to modern day Domino City without you, then… I would rather die alone.”

“Me too, Kaiba…” In between kisses, Yami Yugi spoke, “Just like in my past life, I refuse to find a queen if that queen isn’t you. I’ve sworn my heart to you ever since the events in Dartz’s lair.”

Kaiba now held the pharaoh by the shoulders and looked into his eyes. “So. What is this ‘information that you have learned today?’”

“I have finally learned what my real name is. I’ve finally learned the last piece of my forgotten memories. But now that our true enemy is vanquished, I’ve no need to use its true power.”

“Good.” Kaiba pulled Yami Yugi in again. “I think we’ve had enough ‘epic’ battles for one day.”

Just then, a voice with seemingly no source appeared. “That’s fine with me! It will make taking over all Egypt that much easier!”

“Oh, great,” Kaiba scoffed. “How many times do people have to die in this joint before they really die? Bakura.”

“Listen more closely, love. It sounds like the Bandit King, but his voice is warped. I mean, more than usual. In fact…” Yami Yugi gasped when he slowly started to realize just who it was that now stood before him. “…Zorc.”

“Pharaoh.” Zorc stared the couple down. “We meet again. Ah, if the Bandit King wasn’t dead because he sacrificed himself to revive me, then I’d thank him.”

“Tristan, don’t even make jokes about this guy’s penis again,” Joey spoke.

“Joey…” Kaiba had never addressed Joey by his first name before. Already half-shifted, he ordered, “All of you need to get the hell out of here!”

“No way, Kaiba! Don’t you remember how we all fought together on Atlantis?”

“No, Joey, he’s right,” added Yami Yugi. “I admire your courage, but this is not your fight. Go take the others where it is safe!”

“Pharaoh… Fine, then I trust you.” Joey summoned Red-Eyes Black Dragon, and everyone else quickly mounted it. “Hiyah!”

“How bold of you to think that just two puny humans could defeat the all-powerful Dark One Zorc! What makes you think this fight will be any different from the fights we’ve had in the past?”

“I’ll show you what I mean.” Yami Yugi closed his eyes. “Hear my name and tremble, Dark One! I am the son of Aknamkanon… Atem!”

Kaiba said nothing as a beam of light emitted from the man he loved, revealing a man with a gold crown, white tunic, and skin the colour of cinnamon. “Atem…” He loved the sound of the pharaoh’s name.

“Kaiba… There is only one way to defeat him. You must shapeshift while I weaken him with the Pharaoh’s Incantation.”

“No! What if you-”

“There is no time!” Atem yelled as hordes of zombies and mummies crept out of the dunes. Adding to the gravity of the task were the presence of golems, hurling rocks at Atem that he barely dodged in time. “I hate to sound like a broken record, but don’t forget our promises.”

“And ours!”

“Joey!” Kaiba turned around. “I thought I told you dweebs to flee.”

“See, here’s the thing you gotta learn about us friends, rich boy. We don’t concern ourselves with trivial things like ‘fleeing.’”

“And we don’t concern ourselves with trivial things like letting Joey Wheeler show us up!” Rex and Weevil spoke in unison, completely in human form now.

“You shouldn’t be out here either! Unless…”

“Y’all heal fast,” Joey finished Atem’s sentence. “Eh, must be a shapeshifter thing.”

“Truth be told, I’m still tired as hell from that last battle, so I can’t transform… But I can use this!” Rex summoned Serpent Night Dragon, and soon after, Weevil’s Metamorphosed Insect Queen followed.

“I am by your side too, my pharaoh,” Kisara joined in with her Blue-Eyes White Dragon.

“So am I!” Mana twirled her staves about. “This is for Master… I’ll show you all what he’s taught me!”

“I will use my cards for good this time,” spoke Marik. “You can count on it.”

“Everyone… Join me! And fight for the salvation of all Egypt!” Atem paused before beginning the Incantation. “Ukuyimusus ot e imay… Azuo on aukah anorustu…”

“My power is… fading… But why?” Zorc glared down at an unfazed Kaiba. “Priest Seto’s modern incarnation… It’s all your damned fault! I’ll kill you just like I’ve done in the past!”

The light from Kaiba’s transformation shone brighter than the sun directly above. “Zorc… I am going to destroy you once and for all!” he growled as he, with an energy beam at the ready, charged at the Dark One.

“Hah!” Nice try, you dumb dragon!” Despite his colossal size, Zorc could evade Kaiba’s attack just fine. He leapt from sand dune to sand dune like a hare while locking his spite-filled gaze on Kaiba.

Neither the constant need to take a deep breath nor the whiplash from the recoil after many shots stopped Kaiba from his attempt to kill the Dark One. “You get weaker and weaker! Is this seriously all you have after all these years?”

“Oh, quite the contrary, Kaiba.” Zorc smirked. “You haven’t seen the last of me yet! The powers of all that is unholy compel you!”

“Oooh. I’d be shaking in my boots, if I had any.” Kaiba attempted to shoot another Shining Neutron Blast at Zorc, but every time he did so, a fiend or some other appeared to take the hit instead. With each fiend destroyed, the cloud of sand whipped up even more. “See? I can fight like one of you shapeshifters now!”

“Don’t you dare put yourself on par with my kind, vermin!” Kaiba thundered, soaring into a lone cloud and firing a beam across the desert.

“You’re right, I shouldn’t,” Zorc admitted halfheartedly as he lured Kaiba farther from the dragon’s allies. “After all, I am superior to the likes of you!”

“You’re not going anywhere!” Kaiba, with a powerful gust underneath his wings, followed Zorc towards the villages. “Here? Does your wickedness know any bounds?”

“What’s the matter, dragon boy? Scared of harming this pathetic excuse of a country?” Zorc heckled as he demolished a few houses near Kaiba without remorse.

“If you hate it so much, then why do you live in it?” Kaiba returned the attack, narrowly avoiding destroying a stone building.

“Because it is my goal to rid this country – along with the rest of Earth – of all its life.” Spurring Kaiba to follow him to an especially poor village, Zorc aimed an attack there. “This village… It doesn’t need to exist. Don’t you agree?”

“Oh gods…” A butcher left his shop, staring at Zorc with chills across his body. “What is that thing?”

“No!” A baker, with a weak leg, from across the street clung to a nearby wooden post. “It’s an evil god! He’s going to destroy our village!”

“Don’t you dare, Zorc!” Kaiba warned through an expression full of hatred.

“Oh, yeah? What are you going to do to me? Use your self-destruction Shining Nova? I dare you to try! I am going to blast this puny village, and there’s nothing you can do about it!”

“Zorc, no!” Kaiba, ignoring the cruel whip of the wind on his face, tried to block the shots. But already had witnessed wood splinters and rubble of the village scattered where it once stood.

“Our… Our village…” The butcher, who along with his fellow villagers barely managed to escape the explosion, knelt on the sand and mourned as the splinters dug into his knees.

“It’s now a wasteland…” The baker and his wife held each other while they cried. “We need to get the survivors to the nearest medical ward! Maybe the palace…”

“Don’t think I’m going to let you live!” Zorc threatened, poised to shoot the village’s survivors down.

“Don’t think I am going to let you kill them!” Kaiba let loose a long beam that blocked Zorc’s shots.

“Out of my way!” Having lost interest in the villagers, Zorc returned to just outside the palace. He noticed that during the course of the battle, Rex and Atem had been separated from the rest of the army. “Pharaoh…”

“Argh…” Kaiba tolerated the fresh gash on his left temple and endeavoured to catch up with his opponent.

“Prepare to fall, pharaoh!”

As Zorc prepared another attack, Rex happened to notice the Dark One before Atem could turn around. Whilst running to protect the pharaoh, the dinosaur duelist yelled, “Atem! Look out!”

“Rabbit stew! Babe!” Kaiba didn’t care that the gash slowed him down, he tried his best to conjure up an attack of his own anyway.

Luckily, he wouldn’t have to, as a “new” ally came to Rex’s rescue, chanting, “Urataw imu on arozihsoh! Asabust ikaneragek!”

“Isis!” Atem beamed in relief at the sight of his High Priestess, whose incantation created a barrier. “Thank Ra that you’re okay! But Mahad… He-”

“I know, my king, I know… That is why I will fight alongside you and protect you.” Isis looked up to Kaiba, who had just arrived at the scene. “And you as well, Kaiba.”

“Ishizu… No, Isis.” Kaiba turned his attention back to Zorc. “Let me handle this dirtbag.”

“Grr! Why do you care so much about the people of this country?” Zorc temporarily ceased fire. “Are you not the president of a modern corporation who rejects all ‘occult nonsense?’ What is the point of doing it all if you’re destined to return to your own time anyway?”

“I just want to prove how much better I am than you, that’s all. And… I want to leave behind a peaceful world for the man I love.”

“A man of few words, I see.” Zorc generated a rope of thick shadows from his hands. “The only thing you’ll be leaving behind, however, is your corpse when I unleash this attack upon you.”

“Of what do you speak, fool?”

“Oh, you’ll see soon enough.” The rope of shadows danced about the desert, clearing the dunes in its path. “And now, be prepared to taste the power of the darkness of people’s hearts of the past five thousand years!”

“That’s a few too many ‘of’s’ for my lik-”

For a short while, Kaiba held his position firmly, ready to give his life to protect Egypt. The shadows abruptly emerged from the dunes, catching him off guard and hitting him square in the chest. As quickly as a peregrine falcon, the dragon dove headfirst into the sand dune below, too weak to hold onto his dragon form.

“K-Kaiba! No!!” Atem shrieked, beginning to panic.

“Red-Eyes! Take us to where Kaiba just fell!” Joey ordered as the others followed.

“Hehehe…” Zorc didn’t intervene. “It’ll be fun watching Kaiba slowly die before the lot of you dies!”

“Do you see him anywhere?” Atem asked.

“Not yet, milord,” Isis replied as she helped her pharaoh survey the area.

“What if he…”

“Atem! Over here!” Marik alerted, having spotted tufts of chestnut hair barely sticking out from the sand.

“If he’s buried that deep, then…” Atem frantically started digging as he feared Kaiba’s fate even more. The sight of his beloved’s mutilated body shattered his heart. “Oh… no… Kaiba!”

“What awful wounds…” Weevil gaped, covering his mouth with his hands.

“Kaiba… Kaiba, can you hear me?” Atem picked Kaiba up, attempting to slap him awake. “My… My love… Please, open your eyes…”

“Pharaoh…” spoke Joey. “Kaiba is…”

[evexe-n]

[Fic] Ataraxia

Please accept my humble offering of fic to mark my entrance into prideshipping hell.

Pairing: Kaiba Seto/Yami Yugi, Atem/Kaiba Seto Words:  2397 Additional Tags: Light Angst, Happy Ending, Character Study (of sorts), Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort             Summary:

Ataraxia [at-uh-rak-see-uh] (noun) A state of freedom from emotional disturbance and anxiety; tranquillity.

---

"Listen, I know you're upset I had to cancel our date last week and-" Seto bristled and cut in, "Not everything that's on my mind always has to be about you, believe it or not."

Atem sneered "No, but this time it is, isn't it?"

--- This started as an exercise in writing dialogue around the prompt "Whatever you're going to ask, the answer is no" & it turned longer than expected. Established relationship. A character study of sorts.

On AO3

Notes:  

 The title is ironic, get it? Because it takes a long time to get to the point of ataraxia with these two haha ;-;

Anyway this starts from a premise that 1. Atem has his own body and 2. Seto and him have been dating/living together for a while now. It can be any AU you want as long as it has that. They're still figuring things out but they're trying their best, really. This is just a scene in their lives.

It's also not beta-read, so sorry for any errors!

----------     

               Utterly exhausted, Seto unlocked the front door. He was glad to be home at last. His week so far had been anything but great, but today took the cake. While he normally wouldn't mind staying longer at the office, the sheer stupidity of today's issue only helped raise his frustration to extreme levels. He just wanted to fall onto the nearest flat surface, preferably his bed, and sleep for the next eight hours.

               Realistically speaking, he knew he was more likely to get five at most, but that didn't deter him from wishful thinking.

               As soon as the door closed behind him with a click however, he took notice of the person waiting for him in the hallway. With a determined look on his face, Atem made a move as if to speak before Seto cut him off harshly.

                "Whatever you're going to ask, the answer is no."

               Atem raised an eyebrow, caught awkwardly in the middle of moving towards the other. He recovered his composure quickly.

               "But I haven't even said anything yet!" he exclaimed rather forcefully.

               Seto just huffed and hung his jacket on the nearby coat rack before taking his shoes off. "It's 11 p.m. on a Friday night. I'm late from work, yet you're still awake. Either it has something to do with my job or with your friends, neither of which I am in the mood to talk about right now."

               His only reply was a slight tilt of the head and a noncommittal hum. "Hectic workday?" Atem asked after another beat of silence.

               In all honesty, Seto was serious when he said he didn't want to talk right now, but he was well aware that straight up ignoring Atem's inquiries or being too curt would only make matters worse.

               "Some incompetent fool messed up a line in the programming while updating the system." He started, moving towards the kitchen. He might as well get something to drink, who knew how long this conversation was going to take. Atem did have an annoying habit of dragging conversation out of Seto when it was least wanted.

               "A virus managed to sneak past, which corrupted several important files before someone noticed. Usually I wouldn't bother helping with these things myself but we've been understaffed lately."

               He fell silent at this, opening a cabinet and grabbing the nearest cup. He stood there another moment. Atem had followed him and now stood at the opposite side of their kitchen, most likely observing his every move. He considered if it was worth the effort of moving past Atem again to get something from the fridge. Not willing to risk facing the other yet right now, he turned the tap on. Water would have to do.

               "Hmm, you? Short on staff?" said Atem from his spot near the stove. Even without turning to look, Seto could tell that Atem's complete focus was on him. It was something that exhilarated him in any other circumstance, but in times like this he wished the other was less perceptive.

               "It can't be helped, two of our best senior IT employees both had to take sick leave at the same time." He took a sip of water, throat feeling parched yet somehow unable to swallow properly. He wondered though, how long were they going to keep this up this time?

               This use of idle small talk to avoid the real issue at hand. 

               The lingering quiet was pierced by Atem's soft voice.  "Even if you are short on staff, you shouldn't neglect yourself like this."

               Seto's fingers tightened around his cup. "Like what?" He spit out. He was sure that Atem would be able to see the sheer frustration in every line of his body, in the way his shoulders tensed and foot slightly twitched. When had they become able to see these little tics, these weaknesses in eachother? How Seto hated being read like this, unable to hide behind his familiar walls. There wasn't much use in those walls at all when the other knew exactly where to find the cracks and didn't hesitate to strike where it hurt.

               Atem's tone sounded several degrees colder when he spoke up again. "Staying up late, skipping meals, oh, avoiding me, the usual." He was getting closer to his breaking point as well, Seto could tell. He still hadn't turned to meet his lover's eyes but he could imagine the look on his face, eyes narrowed, the corners of his mouth downturned to match his frown. The same old expression of disappointment Seto had to face so many times in the past.

               Refusing to even acknowledge the last part of the other's accusation, Seto replied, "Like you say, I'm used to it, it's no big deal." He put down his still mostly-filled cup and met Atem's eyes at last, face perfectly blank. "I'll feel better once I get some sleep, as you should as well."

               Atem snorted and moved around the kitchen table. "See, I almost believe that. That you're just moody because of the sleep deprivation, as usual. But you've been avoiding me for about a week now."

               He continued to move closer, gaze fixed on Seto. Like a predator prowling ever closer to its prey.

               "How I wonder what happened last week that caused you to just rush head first into work." Sarcasm dripped from his tone. He was really dead set on wringing this thing between them out of Seto, wasn't he?

               Those sharp, crimson eyes roamed his face, looking for any give. Seto tried as best as he could to keep it schooled in its current emotionless state. Atem was uncomfortably close now, and even the height difference didn't diminish how threatening his presence could be. Seto looked off to the side for a split second, towards the exit. Was it worth ignoring Atem, shoving him aside and just making a break for his room?

               As if sensing Seto's train of thought, Atem backed off some. He sighed.

               "Listen, I know you're upset I had to cancel our date last week and-" Seto bristled and cut in, "Not everything that's on my mind always has to be about you, believe it or not."

               Atem sneered "No, but this time it is, isn't it?"

               Seto's mouth clacked shut. As always, Atem had hit the nail right on the head, but Seto never accepted defeat gracefully.

               Atem pulled his fingers through his spiky hair, making some stray locks stick out even wilder. He closed his eyes. "You know I wouldn't have cancelled if it wasn't absolutely necessary at the time, right?"

               "I'm aware." Seto managed to grumble out between his clenched teeth. It wasn't Atem's fault, Seto was willing to admit, but that didn't make it sting any less when he got a text from Yugi of all people, telling him that Atem wouldn't be on time for their date. The text message was riddled with spelling mistakes, as it turned out, because Yugi had broken an arm and could only use his non-dominant hand. Atem refused to let him take a cab to the hospital, insisting he drive him instead. As ever, worried about his partner.

               "You can't fault me for helping my friends, Seto. Usually it wouldn't have been an issue but a lot happened recently."

               Yes, Seto knew. Everyone off to study or work or do whatever, constantly busy. So busy that nobody else was available to drive their friend to the hospital. And stay there for the better part of the night. On the one day Seto had made sure he'd have time off for their date.

               "I repeat, I'm aware. You've mentioned it before."

               He leaned back against the sink, crossing his arms. He wasn't sure anymore if the action was to distance himself from the other, or because he wanted to appear more casual. More unaffected, perhaps.

               Atem's eyes softened the slightest bit, voice gentler as he asked, "It's not really about last week's incident either, is it?"

               God, how Seto hated him. Hated how he looked at him as if he was fragile sometimes, as if he was something to be handled with care. It was plain wrong, he didn't need pity, not from anyone, least of all his rival. He did not want pity from someone who was never meant to see his weaknesses, his insecurities, his failures. He did not want that, he just.... wanted acknowledgement, of a sort. To be recognized as an equal. Even in the presumed safety of his mind, he refused to use the word 'validation' in any way. He was simply not sure anymore what it was he wanted from his rival. His lover.

               Last week's incident may not have been the cause for any of these... intrusive thoughts, he knew, but it was easier to pretend. Better to be bothered by a solitary event than consider it a symptom of a larger, underlying issue. 

               He was about to bite out another denial when Atem shifted again. Without a word, he moved to lean next to Seto against the sink. He kept enough distance to prevent their shoulders from  touching, but he could feel Atem's comforting warmth right next to him.

               Somehow, it was easier to let go like this, when he didn't have to look at the other. He cleared his throat.

               "No, it's not", he admitted truthfully.

               Atem leaned over, pressing their arms together shoulder to elbow.

               They stayed like this for a while, each lost in their own thoughts.

               "Why did you agree to live here?" Seto asked.

               Atem seemed taken aback by the non sequitur. But Seto had to ask. He had been wondering for a while why Atem agreed to live here, of all places. When he'd asked if Atem wanted to move in, it had seemed a logical progression. Long before that point, Atem's personal belongings had been taking over small spaces throughout the house, slowly but surely. But even if Atem truly wanted this relationship, there was no reason for him to live at the mansion. They could've continued dating without the complication of officialy living together.

               It might have been easier, even.

               "What do you mean?" came the cautious response.

               "Here, at the mansion" Seto continued. "I spend most of my time at work, not here. And it's not close to where any of your friends live either."

               He could feel the Egyptian's cheek pressing into his shoulder now. It felt like he was smiling. "It's your home though. You don't live in your office, you live here."

               Their knuckles brushed lightly against eachother. Seto looked down at their hands, entranced. "I still can't see why you'd like coming back to an empty place like this," he mumbled, "You seemed happy when you lived with Yugi, closer to everyone else."

               "Everyone except you, you mean?" Atem closed the distance between their hands at last, entwining their fingers. His thumb started smoothing out soft circles on Seto's skin.

               Seto swallowed and grunted in affirmation.

               "I'm not dating any of them though, I'm dating you." He tilted his head to the side a bit, as if in thought. "And I was not, nor am I now, planning on playing the third wheel at Yugi's place for the rest of my life."

               Careful to keep their fingers entangled loosely, Atem moved to stand in front of Seto again. He put his other hand against the sink for support as he leaned forward.

               "Listen, you have every right to be upset about me 'ditching' our date, but at least give me a chance to make up for it instead of brooding around in your office." His face was so close that he couldn't be ignored. Seto found it impossible to look away from him, in fact.

               "Please", Atem added.

               Seto shut his eyes, letting out a sigh. Honestly, cancelling their date wasn't the issue, but rather the way it had happened. "I don't need you to 'make up' for anything. As you said, you had a good reason." It's not as if Seto actually expected him to leave Yugi to fend for himself while he was hurt. He knew Atem better than that by now. And loathe as Seto was to admit it sometimes, he might have come to somewhat care about Yugi as well.

               Atem chuckled. "Yeah, but having a good reason doesn't seem to be doing wonders to your mood, now does it?" He disconnected their hands and reached up, lacing his fingers together at the back of Seto's neck. "Feelings don't always overlap with logic, what a surprise. Doesn't mean they're not valid."

               Seto gripped Atem's hips, unsure of how to respond. He needed to get this conversation back to more familiar territory. There was only so much he could handle in one day and his previous exhaustion was starting to make itself known again. His shoulders slumped, strung up energy leaving  his body all at once. He leaned down gently, letting his forehead touch Atem's.

               "Just ask whatever you wanted to ask when I came in already."

               Atem's laugh rang through the kitchen, clear as a bell. "Well, I was going to suggest we order food and watch the recordings of yesterday's USA Duel Monsters Championship matches to analyze some of the newcomers' strategies, but if you'd rather go to sleep...."

               Seto pushed Atem lightly backwards, making him stand up and breaking their embrace. "Wait, let me get this straight, you waited up to corner me after I got back from work just so you could try to cheer me up by what? Watching some third rate duelists screw up while eating cheap take-out?"

              "You love breaking down the newbies' mistakes in excruciating detail, don't lie." Atem smirked.

               Well... He couldn't deny that.

               "Nonetheless, if this is your idea of a date, it isn't a very romantic one."

               Atem brushed their lips together in a quick kiss before heading towards the living room. "Sure it is. Nothing says romance like competitive card games. It's the very foundation of our relationship."

               Seto rolled his eyes, trying not to smile. "Ugh, fine. You go put on the TV, I'll order Chinese."

               He got a nudge in the side for his suggestion. "Hey! What if I wanted pizza!?"

               "Too bad!" Seto yelled after the other as he turned the corner.

               Atem's laughter echoed down the hallway. 

               He was glad to be home.

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So yeah, this started as way for me to practice dialogue and possibly warm up for a longer prideshipping fic I may or may not already have planned out.... I wanted to familiarize myelf with writing these characters first, so any feedback you have is welcome!

I will probably look at this after I wake up and find all the mistakes I made in it....

If you want to ask more questions or in detail stuff about why I write them the way I do, hmu!